Child of Both Worlds
by Fae 206
Summary: Mera and Arthur are ruling Atlantis once more but when Arthur's life is claimed by dark magic, Mera has to decide things that are best for Atlantis and best for their unborn child. However, under Mera's guidance, there are others who claim to be able to bring Arthur back from the supposed-death but do they have other plans in mind for the kingdom and will Arthur come "back to life"
1. Chapter 0 - Three Months Earlier

**AN: **This is my first Aquaman fic so I hope there won't be too many inconsistencies, I'll work hard to bridge the gap. This is based more on the comics than the movie but hopefully by the next chapter I will have learned some things to help this story fit. Hope you enjoy.

**Child of Both Worlds**

**Chapter Zero - Three Months Earlier**

It had been warned that destruction would be brought to Atlantis but to Mera it seemed that trouble would be brought to Atlantis every day. Arthur was a product of two worlds and that was why he had the power to lead and the power to bring the two worlds together and with her being the queen of Atlantis people had joined under her. That and the way that the Dead King had been destroyed after so much work and fighting which made people see who Arthur truly was.

Mera did feel a little sad that she, a Xebel princess, had enough power and support to do what Arthur couldn't – keep a level head on the undersea rulings - but what mattered to her was that they were together and they could love one another freely. He was the Aquaman, someone who could protect those from the deluge. Even Dolphin had been able to spread that message and become stronger because of him.

Sadly though, there was something wrong and Mera had to see it every day in how weak Arthur was becoming. His body had been wrapped up in dark strands of kelp that seemed to be coming from inside of him and she had already spoken to many within the kingdom who had power over the old magics. She hated seeing him grow weaker and weaker and wanting his father.

Mera had promised him that she would keep him here and keep the kingdom under rule but he seemed to be weakening. She let her hand push back his hair before leaning down and kissing his lips, she could feel the light wash out of him and he opened his eyes weakly, his hand going through her hair as he seemed confused to where he was.

"Hello, my King," Mera said as she kissed his forehead. She hoped that she could prove to him how loved he was even if she only had the language of love and kisses. "How are you…"

Arthur coughed and Mera gently pushed his blond hair back. Her eyes were searching him in alarm and she put her hand on his cheek before seeing the light start to fade and his breath before shallower. He stared at her confused. "Where…" he smiled weakly before looking at Mera. "My love," he told her before coughing and Mera tried to bat away the kelp-like coils that were around his body, "A request?" he asked and Mera nodded.

"Anything," she whispered to him knowing that the place she felt best was beside him, if she had to say her goodbyes to him then she just wished that his happiness would continue. She had a secret to tell him, something she was scared to tell anyone and if Arthur was going to die tonight – which seemed likely – she wouldn't ruin it by telling him the truth about their growing child.

"My father's lighthouse…" he whispered and Mera nodded. "I want to see it again," he told her and Mera went to get someone who was able to take them to the surface. That was his home. That was where Arthur had grown up and it was a sacred spot to him. Even if it meant losing him, it meant seeing him smile if only for a quick moment before he was gone. She wanted to remember that smile.

After everything was set into motion, they were taken up to the surface and Mera gently helped Arthur stand on the dock. She dried her eyes so that she wasn't hurting him as it felt that the light had left his body. "Why don't we sit?" she asked and Arthur nodded before crashing down onto the wooden boards, he coughed slightly before it looked like dozens of black spots were covering him and expanding.

Mera covered her mouth. Maybe she shouldn't have brought him to the surface world. Even though his happiness had started here, she hadn't experimented with his condition. She may have very well killed the man that she loved more than life itself.

"The king is down," she heard in horror before she knelt down and pulled Arthur's body to her.

"I am so sorry," she sobbed painfully, "I am so so sorry, my love."

**End of Chapter Zero **

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**


	2. Chapter 1 - Never Forgotten

**AN:**

Also, as I said before, I am changing some of the details but if Johnathon Kent can be dead in some stories and alive in others, I feel there's some creative liberty to be had.

**Chapter One – Never Forgotten**

Despite Mera's fears that Arthur had died on the journey to the mainland, with his father's help, Arthur had been able to get treatment for his sickness. Mera had wanted to join him but the world of Atlantis needed her guidance. That didn't stop her from coming every Friday night to the surface and sitting with him for an hour.

She could see that Arthur had changed. His blond hair was now starting to turn thicker and browner with black streaks and tattoos had appeared on his pale body in scripture that she didn't understand. To everyone else he appeared dead but she wasn't ready to give up on him and neither was his father.

"Mera, you should…you should stay in the kingdom," Thomas said as he saw Mera gently put a new heating pad on Arthur's forehead. She leaned up and kissed his lips, begging that one day he would react to her. "Arthur would be grateful for what you've done but with your present situation."

Mera looked at him before placing a hand over where the baby was growing inside of her. Thomas was right, Arthur would never be able to forgive himself were something to happen to their child. The being inside of her was four months old now and Arthur didn't have knowledge that he was to be a father and Atlantis considered him deceased. She was happy that she trusted people down there, it meant that she could visit Arthur even as frequently as this.

"I know," she nodded to her father-in-law. "You're taking care of him, right?" she asked and Thomas nodded.

"He's my son," he said as he started to sip from a cup of coffee, "I've been trying to contact people from your world. Trying to make sure that he has what he needs. He's my son but when it comes to his biology, I am still rather confused," he said before seeing some more of the kelp start to wrap around Arthur's neck. Mera's eyes widened having seen this but Thomas returned with a balm or a cream and rubbed it against the black coil which soon retreated.

"How often does this happen to him?" Mera asked as she brushed his hair back. He didn't look like himself anymore but she knew that it was him, she knew that someone hadn't just come to replace him. She placed her hand over where the coil had been. She had seen dark magic in the ocean but she had never expected it to be coming to him.

"It depends," Thomas said gravely as he tucked the blanket around his little boy. "I've seen him last the night without an attack and I've seen him covered in those things and struggling to breathe."

Mera nodded and closed her eyes, the tears starting to trickle down her cheeks. His condition was worsening but at least he was alive, at least he was with someone who loved him and cherished him as much as she did. "Thank you," the Xebel princess said as she pushed her face into the bedsheets.

"You don't need to thank me," Thomas argued. "He's my boy. Arthur is _my_ son."

"That doesn't matter sometimes," Mera argued and Thomas stared at her, he didn't quite understand her meaning behind those words. Of course it mattered to him. He was going to protect his child with his life. He might not understand anything about Atlantis, they might consider him a fool, but he wasn't so foolish when it came to his boy. "Sometimes even parents can disown their children."

"Definitely not the case here," Thomas said protectively and Mera smiled. "I take it that the baby will be born relatively soon," he said and Mera nodded. "If you need to raise them in the ocean then I will take care of Arthur for you."

"I know you will," Mera said before hearing a sound from her bracelet which connected her to the kingdom. She felt tears in her eyes but she knew that for the sake of Atlantis, she would have to return. She didn't want to leave Arthur behind but she knew he would want for her to live up to her role as queen.

"I love you, Arthur," she whispered before kissing his forehead. She knew that the world, both worlds saw him as dead and they called her crazy due to her deep grief but as 'dead' as he seemed to Atlantis, she hoped that they had been wrong about this. She walked out of the lighthouse and to the end of the dock, giving a sad look back to where Arthur lay and dived in.

Somehow she would save him. Somehow she would be able to be with him again before the baby was born, their baby.

…

…

Mera stared out of the window of the palace with heavy thoughts burdening her mind. There had to be someone who could help her with this. There had to be somebody who could revive Arthur, bring him to be with them again. She didn't know though. There were many on The Justice League who could potentially help him but they had considered him to be beyond help. Mera didn't understand what that meant but it made her angry that Arthur's so-called friends wouldn't help her.

She looked out into the ocean thinking of the Zodiac Crystals. Would those have helped Arthur? She hadn't wanted them to go into the wrong hands and neither had he but she was desperate. There had to be some way of getting the love of her life back. All of this was his, she was just taking care of it for him.

She bowed her head. Was he even recognizable any longer? He had once been the shining gold Aquaman but this illness had ravaged his body. He didn't appear to be the king that he once had lived as.

Mera sighed before hearing a knock on the door and she got up. Hopefully this was important. She went, thinking it would be one of the servant's who worked there and her eyes widened as she saw Cetea. She had once been told by this woman that she was no good and would bring destruction to Atlantis but then she had changed her mind on her. Mera wasn't sure her heart would be able to hold onto what the woman would tell her this time.

"Your Queen," she said and Mera shook her head. She didn't feel comfortable with being addressed that way at least not with Arthur present. "I have knowledge for you that you may want to take heed of. I have heard the whisperings of others."

Mera nodded as she exited the room and went to stand with the older woman, "You have knowledge of Arthur?" she asked and Cetea shook her head.

"The King is Arthur Curry no longer," she said and Mera looked away into the distance. She didn't care what this woman said and that was her stubbornness which had always been a problem for her. Arthur was Arthur unless she was talking about someone else being the king. "You must give him up to the damned. However, there are magic users who will betray our Atlantis."

Mera paused, she knew that she should be thinking of something else when she heard this but she kept trying to think of how these magic users could be connected to Arthur. She would give anything for him to be at her side again. She didn't want to hurt anyone but she would be happier in Amnesty Bay with their child.

"He is a cold hearted wreck who will destroy the kingdom," Cetea said and Mera looked at her. "It is best for the kingdom to believe in his death."

Mera's eyes widened. She couldn't quite make sense of what was being told to her but the idea of magic bringing Arthur back was something that she wanted to work. She wanted to be with the man that she loves. "Excuse me," Mera said suddenly. "I will return swiftly," she apologized before swimming up to the surface and towards the lighthouse.

She felt something drawing her back and it was more than her fear for Arthur. She rose from the ocean and ran as fast as she could to where Arthur had been, surprising Thomas as water dripped through the living area. He didn't seem to mind.

"Arthur!" Mera said as she opened the door and saw the man turn to look at her. Something was wrong with his eyes, the way he was looking at her, this wasn't the Arthur that she knew. She nervously approached him, kneeling in front of him and she let her hand run through his hair. He was different and it scared her but he hopefully still knew who she was.

"Mera?" he coughed weakly and Mera breathed slowly. She saw Arthur turn and stare up at the ceiling before he flinched, his veins turned a deep purple for a moment and as Mera touched his arm, it stung her. He closed his eyes, attempting to endure the pain.

"Arthur?" Mera asked as she smoothed his hair back and felt how high his fever was.

"I don't know if I'm alive," he managed to whisper in a voice that was barely audible to her. Mera stared at him. It was an odd thing to say but maybe he was delirious. He must be talking out of the strange feelings that were wrapping around him otherwise it didn't make sense.

"Of course you're alive, my love," she said as she tried to struggle with the knowledge of how much he had changed. At least he was awake. At least he was alive.

**End of Chapter One**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

**Author Note 2**

I have to say this now. I am in deep gratitude to the people who have read this fic and PMd me saying that they like this fic. I didn't think it would get so much attention. However, I don't like that when I did get a review it was someone who said that they had been waiting for me to update without leaving a review before that. If you took the time to review then, couldn't you have reviewed before and said that you liked it. Sorry, just had to get that out there.


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